Russian
forces massed along Ukraine's eastern border could threaten stability
in a separatist region of neighboring Moldova, the American general who
serves as NATO's top military commander said Sunday.
"The force
that is at the Ukrainian border now to the east is very, very sizable
and very, very ready," Air Force General Philip Breedlove said at a
meeting of the German Marshall Fund think-tank in Brussels.
Breedlove
added that Russia clearly had anticipated and prepared for action in
Crimea for some time. "Russia tried to get a local face in Crimea with
local militias, but there was a thin veneer of locals in the front and a
lot of men in green behind," he said, referring to Russian troops in
unmarked uniforms.
The comments drew a quick response from Moscow,
where Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov dismissed
concerns about the buildup of troops. He told the news agency Tass and
other media outlets that Russia was "in compliance" with all
international agreements on limits of troops in regions bordering
Ukraine.
Russia's ambassador to the European Union, Vladimir Chizhov, told the BBC
that Russia had no intention of sending troops into other parts of
Ukraine or Europe. He defended Russia's actions in Crimea as solely an
effort protect ethnic Russians in the region.
The Transdniestria
region of Moldova declared itself independent in 1990, although no
countries in the United Nations recognize it. It's population of about
500,000 people is about one-third ethnic Russian, and some members of
its parliament have urged Russia to annex the region.
Meanwhile, a
Ukrainian air force commander was being held after his base in Crimea
was stormed by pro-Russian forces, and Ukraine's acting president called
for his release.
Col. Yuliy Mamchur led the Belbek Air Force base
near Sevastopol, which was taken over Saturday by forces who sent
armored personnel carriers smashing through the base's walls and fired
shots and stun grenades. One Ukrainian serviceman was reported wounded
in the clash. It was unclear whether the forces, who didn't bear
insignia, were Russian military or local pro-Russia militia.
President
Oleksandr Turchyno said Mamchur was "abducted." Vitali Klitschko, head
of Ukraine's Democratic Alliance for Reform, said Sunday that Mamchur is
being held by the Russian military in a jail in Sevastopol, the Crimean
city that is the base of Russia's Black Sea Fleet.
Klitschko was
one of the leaders of the three months of protests in Ukraine that
culminated in late February with President Viktor Yanukovych fleeing the
country and interim authorities taking power before a May 25
presidential election. That fueled Russia's push to take control of
Crimea.
Russia formally annexed Crimea last week, a move that
Western countries say is illegitimate. The U.S. and the EU have imposed
sanctions on Russia in the dispute.
Contributing: Associated Press
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